Explosive



Patented May 2, llfi stares Parana? onion JO$EPE D MCNUTT, OF NEW VEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIONOR TO WINCHESTER RE- PEA'IDIGr MEWS COHPANY, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF W ZLQA "m EXPLOSIVE lilo Brawing.

This invention relates to explosives and more particularly to the use of salts of dinitrophenylazide in the manufacture of priming mixtures "for small arms ammunition,

5 in commercial detonators, in high explosive shells and the like.

The material which I have found'particu; larly useful for thesepurposes is the normal lead salt of dinitrophenylazide having the m empirical formula Pb C 0 N and whose structural formula may be illustrated by the -following:

o Pb

N .N i 1 o N om N a a t INC: N0:

* This-material may be manufactured in various waysbut I prefer to prepare it by reaction between diazodinitrophenol, sodium azide and lead nitrate.

The diazodinitrophenol is first dissolved in a'suitable solvent, such as acetone and an aqueous solution of sodium azide added thereto to form sodium dinitrophenylazide. An

aqueous solution of lead nitrate is then added and lead dinitrophenylazide precipitated from the solution.

The'metal salts of dinitrophenylazide possess desirable properties for use as the initiator of priming compositions. By employing this material, mercury fulminate may be eliminated and a non-mercuric priming mixture provided. The sensitivity of lead dinitrophenylazide topercussion and friction is approximately the same as that of mer cury fulminate. However, smaller percentages of lead dinitrophenylazide maybe employed with substantially the same results \that are obtained from the use of mercury fulminate, due to its lower density and eater ability for'flame propagation. Its

risance when explodedis between that of mercury fulminate and lead azide. It possesses' great chemical stability and is compatible with most of the common ingred ents 0 'ofgrimingmixtures. 5

suitable pr mixture for c enterjfire meet the requirements of various uses of the mixture.

- The ingredients are first thoroughly and J homogeneously mixed and then poured into U Application filed September 27, 1932. Serial No. 635,049.

cartridges maybe formed by mixing the fol lowing ingredients in substantially the following PlOPOItlQDS;

Per cent Lead dinitrophenylazide 15 Barium nitrate 30 Lead peroxide 25 Antimony sulphide 18 Calcium silicide 6 Trinitroresorcinol 6 cc Proportions of these ingredients may; of course, be varied depending upon the commercial strength of the ingredients and to I Per cent Lead dinitrophenylazide 15 Barium nitrate 25 Lead peroxide 12 Diazodin'itrophenol l7 rinitroresorcinol .8 Ground -glass u 2 Gum arabic 1 As in the case of center fire mixtures, the proportions of the ingredients may be varied depending upon the properties desired in the individual case and the commercial strength of the ingredients. The rim fire mixture is prepared in the usual way, poured into individual pellets of the proper size for the individual charges by means of a charge plate in the usual manner and then transferred to empty rim fire cartridge shells. The prim- 1 ing mixture is then forced to distribute itself into the hollow rim of the cartridge shell by spinning the'shell in the customary machine. The shells are then loaded with powder and bullets in the customary way.

As stated above, the material may also be used in the manufacture of detonators and in high explosive shells. When so used it is used in place of the known and heretofore employed materials having similar properties.

The advantages of the non-mercuric priming mixtures set forth above over priming mixtures containing mercury fulminate, will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The elimination, of mercury fulminate and the resulting amalgamation of the cartridge shell permits reloading and reuse of center fire cartridge cases.

The oxygen supplying elements and fuels mentioned above are referred to by Way of example. Known equivalents may be substituted for any or all of them without departing'from the spirit of the invention. As an example, lead nitrate may be employed in place of barium nitrate, the quantity of lead nitrate to be employed varying slightly from the quantity of barium nitrate given above to obtain substantially the same qualities in the resulting mixture.

I claim: 1. A priming mixture comprising lead dinitrophenylazide.

eoaeea V tially 8 per cent trinitroresorcinol, substantially 22 per cent ground glass and substantially 1 per cent gum arabic.

In testimony whereof aflixmy signature.

JOSEPH 1D. MCNUTT.

2. A priming mixture comprising lead (li nitrophenylazide and an oxidizer.

3. A priming mixture comprising lead dinitrophenylazide, an oxidizer and a fuel.

4. A priming mixture comprising lead dinitrophenylazide and trinitroresorclnol.

5. A priming mixture comprising lead dinitrophenylazide, barium nitrate and a fuel.

. 6. A priming mixture comprising lead dinitrophenylazide, barium nitrate, lead peroxide and a fuel.

7. A priming mixture comprising lead dinitrophenylazide, barium nitrate, lead peroxide, antimony sulphide, calcium silicide and trinitroresorcinol.

8. A priming mixture comprising lead nitrophenylazide, barium nitrate, lead peroxide, diazodin'itrophenol, trinitroresorcinol and ground glass.

9. A priming mixture comprising substantially 15 percent lead 'dinitrophenylazide, substantially 30 percent barium nitrate, substantially 25 percent lead peroxide, substantially 18 percent antimony sulphide, substantially 6 percent calcium silicide, and substantially 6 percent trinitroresorcinol;

10. A priming mixture comprising sub stantially 15 percent lead dinitrophenylazide, substantially 25 percent barium nitrate, substantially 12 percent lead peroxide,-substantlally 17 percent diazodinitrophenol, substan- 

